Live now, pay later - USC wants to add rent cost to HECS

Megan Mackander
Journalist
After completing a journalism degree at the University of the Sunshine Coast, I joined the Sunshine Coast Daily in 2010. As the Daily’s police reporter, the round is unprectible, diverse and challenging, but also exciting and is a dream position for me. In between heading to emergency incidents, I love getting the chance to write about amateur and professional theatre and the arts. I’ve also worked in various community roles at the Caboolture News, Buderim Chronicle and Caloundra Weekly. Having...

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THE University of the Sunshine Coast is leading a push to allow students to add accommodation expenses to their HECS debt.

The proposal is part of an action plan put together by members of the Regional Universities Network.

USC vice-chancellor Greg Hill said the action would become the framework for lobbying of politicians during the lead-up to the September federal election.

"We do have a wish list and I think one of the most interesting ones is to provide students from regional locations with an opportunity to put accommodation costs on HECS, much the same as their fees," Prof Hill said.

"If you are living at home and going to the local university it isn't such a big deal, but when you think of where most of our students come from - places like Hervey Bay or Kilcoy - it is a real effort and a lot of them can't afford to go to university.

"We know it is a real struggle for our students who work more hours than the national average, because they simply just have to.

"We want to rally both sides of politics and make sure they are aware of what is going on in regional universities and hopefully they will pick up some suggestions to put into policies."

The Regional Universities Network includes Central Queensland University, Southern Cross University, University of Ballarat, University of New England and University of Southern Queensland. It is dedicated to enhancing the role regional universities play in contributing to the economic, social, cultural and environmental development of their regions.

Prof Hill said there was enormous potential for the USC to grow, with a catchment of more than 300,000 people on the Sunshine Coast.

"Our biggest challenge up until now has been trying to scramble to get buildings up so we can grow the university," he said. "A lot of the buildings are built with borrowed money from the Queened Treasury.

"Once you take out a significant loan you have to pay that back and that could better be used for teaching or community engagement, so having access to funds to assist with infrastructure is vital."

Reader poll

Is adding rent costs to HECS debts a good idea?

This poll ended on 18 April 2013.

Definitely - it would ease a lot of stress - 28%

Could be if it's done well - 23%

No - the final debt would be crushing - 41%

We never had it in uni - they can tough it out - 5%

This is not a scientific poll. The results reflect only the opinions of those who chose to participate.